as in labor
very hard or unpleasant work
after years of toil in a sweatshop, Kim was finally able to start her own dressmaking business
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tangle
usually toils plural
something that catches and holds
a married woman hopelessly caught in the toils of an extramarital affair
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to labor
to devote serious and sustained effort
toiled for many years on the mammoth outdoor sculpture
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of toil
Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 23 Jan. 2026
After years of toil, the mathematicians — using a combination of pen-and-paper techniques and computational experiments — figured out how to adjust Darboux’s formulas so that the curvature lines would close up.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 20 Jan. 2026
Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2026
As the dunk contest has moved from headliners to prospects, the risk of the competition has been coming to be defined solely as a dunker, as was the case for former Heat dunk champion Harold Miner, and even reigning three-time dunk champion Matt McClung; who largely has toiled in the G League.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for toil
Noun
Although the marquee did not glow for quite some time, toil and hope were always behind the scenes.
—Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 23 Jan. 2026
After years of toil, the mathematicians — using a combination of pen-and-paper techniques and computational experiments — figured out how to adjust Darboux’s formulas so that the curvature lines would close up.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 20 Jan. 2026
Verb
Senior Tre White, meanwhile, also had his worst offensive game of the 2025-26 campaign, cashing just two points — 0-for-3 from the field and 2-of-2 from the line — while toiling 15 minutes the first half, just eight the second stanza.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2026
As the dunk contest has moved from headliners to prospects, the risk of the competition has been coming to be defined solely as a dunker, as was the case for former Heat dunk champion Harold Miner, and even reigning three-time dunk champion Matt McClung; who largely has toiled in the G League.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for toil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toil
Verb
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Since then, Budig has labored tirelessly to stoke enthusiasm for Summers’ book among her Inky Phoenix community members.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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When the novel opens in Florence, in 1557, the body of the painter Jacopo da Pontormo lies in the chapel of San Lorenzo—in front of the frescoes he’d labored over for a decade, with a painter’s chisel stuck in his heart.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Groceries and warehouse clubs like Sam’s and Costco do flawlessly what many of us struggle to do at home — roast a whole chicken to golden-brown perfection on a rotating spit so that every morsel is cooked evenly and deliciously tender.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
25 Feb. 2026
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Instead, 10 games into his college career, Arenas is struggling mightily with his offensive efficiency.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Instead of replacing everything, Dominick and his team work within existing systems, striving to clean, structure and govern data before layering additional intelligence.—
William Jones,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
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But all that striving for accomplishment may cost women a great deal.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That leaves Pernetti as the only candidate without any experience working with the NFLPA.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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The designation, which Anthropic will fight in court, could become a serious problem for the startup, which earns its revenue through enterprise software sales to companies that might currently or one day want to work with the military in some capacity.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toil. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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